Non-Family & Family Abductions, Endangered Runaways, Lost or Injured, and Unidentified ... These are our ~LostFaces~ of the Missing

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Please don't allow Them to remainThe Forgotten

The Forgotten Network gathers in coffee shops and living rooms to discuss leads, clues and tips, each bringing their own motivations and skills to the table, each driven by a deep sense of purpose. Donovan is a former detective who left the force after the disappearance of his own young daughter. Through the use of his investigative skills, he can help piece together each victim's story: retracing their footsteps and unearthing why they died by learning how they lived. Working against the clock to give each victim a name before being buried a John or Jane Doe, these amateur detectives are in it to bring closure... and win justice.ABC The Forgotten

We, the undersigned, greatly enjoy watching the new the forgotten TV show on the ABC network. It is a gripping drama that keeps us on the edge of our seats. It’s a great medical show with lots of action, interesting stories, and interesting characters.

Please find a way to keep the forgotten on the air. We are devoted viewers who will continue to watch the program, encourage others to do the same, and will support the series’ advertisers as well. Please keep it going, either on ABC or, if necessary, on another channel.The forgotten: Petition to Continue the ABC TV Series

Over the last few years, I have connected with many other people who are unfortunate enough to know what it's like to have a loved one gone missing. Even though the stories of how a loved one went missing are different, the emotions of anguish, frustration, and pain are replicated throughout the 'left-behind' community.Yet instead of allowing this pain and frustration to consume their lives, many people are forming an alliance on sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. People from all walks of life are banding together to form a 'network' & just like the amateur detectives on The Forgotten, many have been bringing their own motivations and skills 'to the table.'

Jan Smolinski-Billy's mother, has spent thousands of hours leading an effort to alter the way law enforcement officers respond to the report of a missing adult. She and her husband, Bill, successfully shepherded a bill through the state legislature last year, but at the last second the bill was watered down by the Police Officers Standard and Training Council that made the recommendations voluntary.

The Smolinskis, with help from their state representative in Cheshire, Vicki Nardello, are attempting to make the changes mandatory in this legislative cycle.

In addition, Janice Smolinski has been prodding Senator Joe Lieberman and Congressman Chris Murphy to sponsor a bill in Congress that mandates medical examiners across the country to take samples from unidentified remains and upload the information into NAMUS, a national data bank trying to link 160,000 missing people in the United States to the 60,000 unidentified dead being stored around the country.

Janice Smolinski has become a national spokesperson for NAMUS and was a speaker at conferences in Texas, Colorado and Maryland in 2008 that targeted law enforcement and medical examiners.The Cool Justice Report

Todd's calling to be a voice for missing and unidentified persons began when he solved the identity of the "Tent Girl" case, Barbara Hackman-Taylor, after a ten-year journey that ended in 1998.Associated Content Community

Before June 13th, 2001, we were just an ordinary family living a peaceful, happy existence. My husband, Jim, and I worked outside the home, spent time with our two wonderful sons, attended Mass every Sunday, and enjoyed the company of family and friends. On that fateful Wednesday, our lives changed forever. Our family unit was brutally ripped apart when our oldest son, Jason, then age 19, disappeared without a trace from our driveway.Project Jason Mission Statement

Our mission as a non profit organization is to create and increase public awareness of missing people through a variety of outreach and educational activities. Project Jason seeks to bring hope and assistance to families of the missing by providing resources and support

In 1994, Mrs. Caison founded the non-profit CUE Center for Missing Persons, which is focused on finding the missing, advocating for their causes, and supporting their families.

Offering a wide range of free services, CUE has since helped more than 8,700 families in what is often the most confusing and desperate times of their lives. In addition to providing services for the missing and their families, CUE offers college internships and youth mentoring programs.

CUE is entirely donation funded and staffed by volunteers, including Mrs. Caison, who takes no salary from the organization. CUE CENTER

Squeaky Wheel Tour® is a grass roots effort to gain attention for hundreds of missing childen and adults whose disappearances do not have the scandal, intrigue, or national appeal to garner the attention of the public. This is an amazing opportunity that we have right here and right now to gain public attention for the missing, which will in turn create momentum and hope for us all.

The Squeaky Wheel starts here. . .with me, with you...we have the power to make a difference both individually and collectively. We are the families of the missing, the artists and communities who care about the missing, the non-for-profit organizations dedicated to the missing, and the media who sees that attention is needed to bring someone home.411Gina.org

Even people who've never experienced the anguish of a loved one gone missing, have shown a genuine compassion!

I don't think I've met a group of people as willing to learn and understand the confusions and pain of the 'left behind' family who is searching for their missing loved one.

Peace 4 the Missing was created by Maggie's Rose, who writes:

Can We Bring Peace?No, we can't...In my humble opinion and own life experience, only God can do that. And sometimes, even HIS peace is not one we are capable of truly comprehending nor accepting in this life on earth.So, why are we here then, at Peace 4 the Missing? Why do we and why should we care? Because, even if, God willing, we are "only" somehow able to bring about even one mere drop, the tiniest of sprinkle of a peaceful, even momentarily peaceful feeling to those forced to endure the anguishing pain of the missing, then it is worth it.Read More... Can We Bring Peace?A second member of Peace 4 the Missing that deserves a round of applause is Delilah, who says:Not long ago Maggiesrose and I started talking about building a place where families of missing persons could come and do what they needed to do to make their life a little bit more comforting despite the pain and sorrow they have endured. We talked and talked about what to offer and just how to do it and finally came up with the premise that if we build it, they will come.LostFaces of the Missing

The above mentioned are only a few of those, whose hard work and dedication for the missing and the families that have been left-behind, can never be over-appreciated. I cannot possibly list all organizations who have used their skills in one way or another, to 'Help Bring Them Home.' Thank you for your time and effort, and for your sincere dedication to keep our missing from becomingThe Forgotten.

It took over ten years to finally make contact with my oldest son. Getting to know the young man, who used to be my 9-year-old twerp, has been an indescribable experience!

Due to 10+ years of extreme alienation, my second son was nervous to meet with me, at first. It didn't take long for his curiosity to overcome his fear, and now he calls me on the phone & emails me, quite often.

My third son has learned much about missing children/persons & his young life has been forever touched by my search for the 2 brothers he didn't even know. It was a joyous occasion when he finally got to meet both of his big brothers!
~Answered Prayers~

Information

This is probably quite a controversial question. After all, most of the people I post about has a loved one who is missing without consent.

A parent who adopted their child, signed 'the' paper. They gave permission to allow someone else to raise this child.

Adoption is an issue I have grappled with for quite some time. How dare a person who adopted their child out compare their situation to mine.

Yet as I read about the deception and confusion, in the adoption industry, I question my perhaps too harsh judgements...

Is an adopted child a missing person too?
You decide.

Walk thru the smokescreen and read what it's really like Surviving Adoption Loss from the natural mom's side of the story.Surviving Adoption Loss

BSE adoptee, I was neither "scooped" nor "snatched", but abandoned freely. I am working on coming to terms with that. This is a part of that work.
L'enfant du peche

My son paid over $26,000.00 in child support to his ex and was not ever allowed to see his children. Together he and I paid over $45,000.00 in attorney fees to fight this wrongful adoption.HERE IS THE TRUTH

The majority of society I have spoken to about adoption chose to see it as a beautiful act of love, apparently ignorant of the ugly truth lurking under all the gloss.
Living In The Shadows

She asked questions about me, constantly, until the people who adopted her, feeling insecure, told her a lie.....that I was dead. For years she searched for a grave.MotherhoodDeleted